Football fans who are tired of forking out the debt of a third world country to be able to watch televised football could be set for a welcome reversal of fortunes, thanks to UEFA who have conceded that their agreement with BT Sport was a 'mistake'.
BT secured exclusive rights to screen Champions League games in the UK for three years in a deal worth a reported £897m and, although UEFA are happy with the production of BT's output, they are seriously concerned with how much viewing figures have slumped, this season.
Manchester City's 2-2 draw with PSG last week was watched by just over a million people, five times less than the normal viewership for a quarter-final usually commanded by ITV. Such low figures are an effect of the Champions League being on a subscription only service and it isn't believed UEFA will welcome an extension of the current arrangement, with ITV expected to bid when the tender for the next cycle of Champions League rights returns later this year.
BT have spent big money in recruiting the likes of Gary Lineker, Rio Ferdinand and Steven Gerrard for their coverage of Europe's elite club competition but such a star studded line up isn't expected to entice any more viewers to the product, with football fans becoming more and more disillusioned with the extortionate costs of subscription services for sports channels.
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(H/T The Mirror)
Topics: Football, Champions League, ITV, BT Sport